A mummified saber-toothed child dating back 35,000 years has been found in near-perfect condition in Siberian permafrost.
His body was discovered in 2020 in northeastern Yakutia, Russia. The research on this baby study was published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 14, 2024.
According to the published study, discoveries of late Pleistocene frozen remains are “extremely rare,” but the authors note that most of the discoveries in Russia are in the Indigirka River basin.
A mummified saber-toothed child mummy found in Siberian permafrost has been studied by scientists and found to have been buried some 35,000 years ago. (Alexei V. Lopatin)
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The mummified baby was well preserved frozen for thousands of years. Due to the frozen nature of this find, it was left in great condition with the fur still intact.
“The body of the mummy is covered with short, thick, soft, dark brown fur, approximately 20 to 30 mm long,” the authors said in a published study, adding that the mummy's back and neck were covered with short, thick, soft dark brown fur. The fur was longer than the fur found on the cub's paws.
The mummy's head, chest, forearms, and front legs were all in good condition.
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Studying this discovery not only provided a unique opportunity for scientists, but also the first study of its kind.
“For the first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal with no analogues in modern fauna has been studied,” the study authors explained.
This discovery provided scientists with a very unique and unusual opportunity to study an extremely well-preserved extinct species. (Alexei V. Lopatin)
Scientists determined that the cub died at about three weeks old. It was identified by the study authors as belonging to this species. Homotherium latidens And there were many differences from modern lion cubs of a similar age.
The muzzle shape of mummified lion cubs has a large mouth and small ears, as well as a “giant” neck, long forelimbs, and darker fur, all of which scientists observed today. was one of the key differences from modern lion cubs.
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Scientists also worked to understand how extinct species were able to survive in the extreme cold.
Their large foot shape and lack of carpal pads contributed significantly to their survival. Scientists believe these factors helped them overcome the snow.
Other ancient animals have been discovered in Siberian permafrost in recent years.
Analysis of the child's skull allowed scientists to identify it as belonging to this genus. Homotherium. (Alexei V. Lopatin)
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For example, a mummified wolf dating back more than 44,000 years was discovered in 2021, Live Science reported in June 2024.
